Anaerobic Bacteria Flashcards
Infections by anaerobes are ______, _______ infections
mixed, opportunistic
What types of surfaces contain hundreds of species of anaerobes
mucosal surfaces
Why are anaerobes sensitive to O2 intermediates?
Have little superoxide dismutase to remove O2 radicals
Have low amounts of catalase to remove H2O
Often lack cytochromes
How do aerobic and anaerobic bacteria work together
The aerobic bacteria metabolize O2, making the environment favorable for anaerobes
Anaerobic gram negative pathogens: site of infections
Colon, mouth, and skin
Anaerobic infections are often _____ ______ due to short fatty acids produced during fermentations
foul smelling
What is a general product of fermentations
gas
Polymicrobial nature of anaerobic infection
Infections often due to the contamination of tissue by normal flora
Bacteriodes fragilis
most intra-abdominal infections
Common inhabitant of bowel
Bacteriodes Fragilis: virulence factor
- Polysaccharide capsule
- Bacteroides are aerotolerant anaerobes able to tolerate atmospheric concentrations of oxygen
- Bacteroides encode two major oxidative stress response genes, catalase and superoxide dismutase
B. Fragilis often in mixed infection with:
- Other anaerobes
- Facultative anaerobes (Peptostreptococcus)
Clostridia
Anaerobic Gram Positive, spore forming bacilli; obligate anerobes are aerotolerant
Clostridia
Pathogensis:
Physiology:
Pathogenesis: usually due to an exotoxin
Physiology: either - saccharolytic - sugars
- proteolytic - amino acids
Clostridia groups
Gastrointestinal disease: C. difficile
Histotoxic clostridia: C. perfringens
Tetanus: C. tetani
Botulism, food poisoning: C. botulinum
Clostiridia are ____ inhabitants or inhabitants of the ______ _____
Soil; Intestinal tract